A blank slate...A new start.

A blank slate...

www.samanthasmitharroyo.com

A freshly sharpened knife...

www.vintagerecipesmith.blogspot.com

An empty room...

www.thevintageeclecticlife.blogspot.com

A new (old) camera...

www.vintagemodernphotography.com

A new idea...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DesignSmithPaperArts

because life is short...

Stay tuned!

So it wouldn't be fall without orange...

In the deserts of Southern California there are no fall colors.  We have to wait til spring to see the orange poppies cover the hillsides. So to create a fall senior portrait we use fall colors in clothing and props.

My new favorite spot is a lake dug in the 1800's for water usage wit native drought resistance trees and plants.  Very natural and the light is amazing...just 5 minutes from my house and with so much variety for backgrounds in a small area.

Alicia is wearing a vintage orange overdyed 70's blazer for fall color.  This girl is my senior rep for this year and is an amazing girl.  She is the primary caretaker for her father who has advanced parkinsons...her mother visits on occasion.  She considers it a privilege to take care of the man who has been her sole provider. She handles bills, taxes, running the house and his health care. Alicia is beautiful inside and out!

You can see more fall images featuring orange at Iheartfaces.com!

So Wanna Be Chic...

...well at least be the "go to" photographer of the chic.  I think our clients are pretty special.  They often have lots of different fashionable changes of clothing whether it's a maternity session or getting ready for their wedding!  They are chic because they sparkle with the happiness of whatever they want to capture in fine art photography.  They love deeply and share their joy of life with friends and family and me!   What a privilege to have this job! 

 

This photograph really shows what I do.  I scouted the location the week before planning for the best light, I made the floral hair wreath all based on this couples relationship and the guitar he wanted to bring that he often plays and sings just for his lovely wife who is expecting their first child.  They wanted a mountain setting and were happy that a meadow was included as well.

I am entering this in a forum for photographers called chic critique.  They have a wonderful magazine and many talented celebrity photographers to learn from and I would love to be a finalist in their Photography Idol competition.  Check it out!...chiccritiqueforum.com/

So I'm learning from the best!

This year I signed up for a 52 week mentoring program to improve my photography skills as well as learn the business with a wonderful photographer (Don Giannatti of lightingessentials.com) who writes books, teaches workshops and gives of himself to anyone who wants to join his regular Project 52 with weekly assignments, critiques and a supportive flickr group...project52.org

I went to a workshop in his studio in Phoenix in the middle of the year and wat fun it was to photograph his muse and favorite model...Brianna.  She usually does the hot babe pics male photographers favor in workshops although Don does some great lifestyle stuff with her too.  I really wanted to do something in my style.  I picked up something softer for her to wear at Target with a lantern and she had a great handband for her beautiful long hair.  She is the best model, you give her instructions on what you are looking for and she runs with it.

I added some textures to this one so it  would look like a painting.  I love it.  I learned lots about lighting, finally got the "rope trick" he is famous for.  I really want to share all I've learned and blog regularly again.  2 assignments a week along with running the business makes for a busy schedule.  

Sweet Hearts...Behind the Scenes

My daughter's best friend Carol is getting married and we gave them an engagement session as their engagement gift.  We created a story for this session "Falling in love for life and finding Home".  We created a story for the stop motion (that you can see HERE)that accompanies our engagement sessions.  Samantha has to take about 1,000 images or more to create the stop motion as well as taking the portraits they will use as framed photographs at their wedding sign and give to family and friends.  (These will appear on her website soon... vintagemodernphotography.com)

My job is to create the story from the theme Samantha gives me, write a "script" of how we will proceed with the locations and props as well as provide and set up the props.  I also take the wide angle and behind the scenes images.  I love working with her and it's always so much fun to create the props.  I cut out the country print hearts and strung them on an old rope to go with the theme of Carol and Ethan's upcoming country wedding inspired by the old quilt on the table.

This fits in with Iheartfaces theme this week of "Hearts".    You can see more heart themed images from many talented photographers HERE!